sandpiper

noun

sand·​pip·​er ˈsan(d)-ˌpī-pər How to pronounce sandpiper (audio)
: any of various small shorebirds (family Scolopacidae, the sandpiper family) distinguished from the related plovers chiefly by the longer and soft-tipped bill

Illustration of sandpiper

Illustration of sandpiper

Examples of sandpiper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Shorebirds began their journeys early and travel fast, many of them after a short breeding season in the far, far north, so birds like sandpipers, yellowlegs, willets, godwits and curlews are already present in abundant numbers. Jack Gedney, The Mercury News, 23 Sep. 2024 Examples of birds with this wing type are ducks, falcons, swifts and sandpipers. Scott Travers, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024 Without golf balls whizzing overhead, the land has become habitat for migratory shorebirds, among them black-necked stilts, greater yellowlegs and sandpipers, and has even drawn the secretive American bittern. Cara Buckley, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2024 Compared with these sandpipers, antechinus might seem relatively well-rested. Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 25 Jan. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sandpiper 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sandpiper.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1674, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sandpiper was in 1674

Dictionary Entries Near sandpiper

Cite this Entry

“Sandpiper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sandpiper. Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

sandpiper

noun
sand·​pip·​er -ˌpī-pər How to pronounce sandpiper (audio)
: any of numerous small shorebirds with usually long bills and legs

More from Merriam-Webster on sandpiper

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